Serum anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody titer and its association with gastric nodularity, atrophy, and age: A cross-sectional study

Table 1 Characteristics and endoscopic findings of the serum antibody titers of the 874 study participants n (%)

Group	Total	A	B	C	D	P value
Serum antibody titer (U/mL)		< 3	3-9.9	10-49.9	≥ 50
Number	874	612 (70.0)	141 (16.1)	76 (8.7)	45 (5.1)
Male	336 (38.4)	241 (39.4)	48 (34.0)	33 (43.4)	14 (31.1)	0.36
Age (yr), continuous, mean ± SD	48.3 ± 13.8	47.8 ± 13.1	47.1 ± 14.9	52.5 ± 15.8	50.9 ± 14.3	0.010
Age, categorical						0.002
< 40 yr	233	167 (71.7)	43 (18.5)	15 (6.4)	8 (3.4)
40-59 yr	473	342 (72.3)	70 (14.8)	33 (7.0)	28 (5.9)
≥ 60 yr	168	103 (61.3)	28 (16.7)	28 (16.7)	9 (5.4)
Indication						0.52
Symptoms	415	295	65	36	19
Abnormal upper gastrointestinal radiography findings	93	60	14	12	7
Screening	227	165	39	14	9
Surveillance for upper gastrointestinal diseases	139	92	23	14	10
Kyoto classification score, mean ± SD	0.43 ± 1.09	0.11 ± 0.57	0.43 ± 0.95	1.92 ± 1.70	2.33 ± 1.45	< 0.001
Open-type atrophy	65 (7.4)	11 (1.8)	11 (7.8)	21 (27.6)	22 (48.9)	< 0.001
Intestinal metaplasia	46 (5.3)	8 (1.3)	7 (5.0)	19 (25.0)	12 (26.7)	< 0.001
Enlarged folds	25 (2.9)	6 (1.0)	1 (0.7)	12 (15.8)	6 (13.3)	< 0.001
Nodularity	15 (1.7)	1 (0.2)	1 (0.7)	3 (3.9)	10 (22.2)	< 0.001
Diffuse redness	31 (3.5)	4 (0.7)	3 (2.1)	15 (19.7)	9 (20.0)	< 0.001
Gastric ulcer	14 (1.6)	9 (1.5)	0 (0)	5 (6.6)	0 (0.0)	0.43
Duodenal ulcer	19 (2.2)	3 (0.5)	2 (1.4)	10 (13.2)	4 (8.9)	< 0.001
Regular arrangement of collecting venules	470 (53.8)	376 (61.4)	75 (53.2)	16 (21.1)	3 (6.7)	< 0.001
Fundic gland polyps	311 (35.6)	259 (42.3)	48 (34.0)	4 (5.3)	0 (0.0)	< 0.001
Superficial gastritis	390 (44.6)	314 (51.3)	53 (37.6)	16 (21.1)	7 (15.6)	< 0.001
Gastroesophageal reflux disease	108 (12.4)	84 (13.7)	16 (11.3)	3 (3.9)	5 (11.1)	0.047
Barrett's esophagus	250 (28.6)	175(28.6)	41 (29.1)	23 (30.3)	11 (24.4)	0.95
Hiatal hernia	105 (12.0)	75 (12.3)	17 (12.1)	10 (13.2)	3 (6.7)	0.66

P-values were calculated by comparing groups A, B, C, and D using the Kruskal-Wallis test, Cochran-Armitage test, chi-squared test, or a polytomous logistic regression analysis, as appropriate. The Kyoto classification of gastritis score was estimated based on gastric atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, enlarged folds, nodularity, and redness[19]. SD: Standard deviation.

Table 2 Multivariate analysis of the effect of patients’ characteristics and endoscopic findings on the serum antibody titer in Helicobacter pylori-infected patients

	Odds ratio	95%CI	P-value
Age < 40 yr1	0.69	0.21-2.2	0.54
Age ≥ 60 yr1	0.24	0.083-0.70	0.0090
Open-type atrophy	3.9	1.4-10	0.0076
Nodularity	7.1	1.6-31	0.0094
Regular arrangement of collecting venules	0.36	0.088-1.5	0.16

¹The odds ratios were calculated by considering age 40-59 years as reference. P-values were calculated using a binominal logistic regression analysis. CI: Confidence interval.

Table 3 Comparison of the endoscopic findings of Helicobacter pylori-infected patients aged < 60 years and those ≥ 60 years

	Group C		P value	Group D		P value
	Age < 60 yr	Age ≥ 60 yr		Age < 60 yr	Age ≥ 60 yr
Number	48	28		36	9
Kyoto classification score, mean ± SD	1.52 ± 1.56	2.61 ± 1.75	0.0068	2.19 ± 1.53	2.89 ± 0.928	0.084
Open-type atrophy	7	14	0.0014	14	8	0.0098
Intestinal metaplasia	4	15	< 0.001	6	6	0.0062
Enlarged folds	8	4	1.0	3	3	0.084
Nodularity	2	1	1.0	10	0	0.17
Diffuse redness	9	6	0.77	9	0	0.17
Gastric ulcer	3	2	1.0	0	0	1.0
Duodenal ulcer	4	6	0.16	4	0	0.57
Regular arrangement of collecting venules	12	4	0.38	3	0	1.0
Fundic gland polyps	4	0	0.29	0	0	1.0
Superficial gastritis	11	5	0.77	7	0	0.31
Gastroesophageal reflux disease	2	1	1.0	3	2	0.26
Barrett's esophagus	13	10	0.45	9	2	1.0
Hiatal hernia	5	5	0.48	3	0	1.0

P-values were calculated with Mann-Whitney U test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. SD: Standard deviation.